Communication devices capable of communicating over a number of different communication links or channels are available. For example, personal computers are capable of connecting to communication servers or other endpoints using wired Ethernet connections, Wi-Fi or other wireless Ethernet or other protocols, the public switched telephony network (PSTN), including via common telephone lines and high speed digital subscriber line (DSL) connections, high speed cable network connections, and hybrid connections, for example, using connections established over the PSTN for requesting and uploading data and using connections established over a satellite based network for downloading data. While desktop computers and other devices used at fixed locations typically select one available communication channel to support communications with other devices, mobile devices may use different communication channels at different times and locations. In addition, a communication device may use different communication channels in support of different applications. For example, a personal digital assistant or handheld computer might use a first network to support realtime voice communications, a second network for email and instant messaging communications, and a third network for Internet browsing.
Portable or mobile telephones, such as cellular telephones, are in widespread use. Many portable telephones are capable of using different communication channels at different times and/or locations. For example, such devices may support analog and digital realtime voice communications, but will only use an analog channel for a communication when the primary digital channel is unavailable. Similarly, phones that support different digital communication protocols available in different geographic regions are available. Wireless communication providers have also developed systems for providing network coverage in areas that are otherwise poorly served. For example, so-called nano cell and femto cell devices for providing wireless network coverage in office buildings or homes are now available. These systems provide an alternative to macro cells, and are particularly useful in areas where coverage from such macro cells is poor or non-existent.
As use of mobile telephones has become more common, many consumers have abandoned the use of landline telephones. However, the exclusive use of mobile telephones can result in increased costs and decreased service levels for the user. In response to the demand for a single device that can provide portability, high quality, and the ability to access low cost networks, devices have been developed that can achieve fixed mobile convergence (FMC), or the connection of a mobile telephone to a fixed network infrastructure. Devices capable of providing FMC typically are used on the long range cellular network when the user desires or requires portability, and the fixed network infrastructure when a low cost, high speed and/or high quality connection is desired. For example, a device might provide support for 3G cellular network service for the convenience of connecting to a cellular network, and support for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections for connecting to the fixed network infrastructure through a wireless access point (WAP).
Where multiple communication links are available to a communication device, systems have been described that allow the communication device to make a logical choice from among the available communication channels. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,122,514 and 6,516,192, assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure, provide systems for selecting an acceptable network channel using application requirements for the particular channel and channel operating parameter values. The entire disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,122,514 and 6,515,192 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
As use of the Internet has become more common, portable and other devices that allow access to the Internet have also become more common. However, the connections to the Internet provided by such devices are often expensive and slow. As is familiar to any user of the Internet, a typical web page is made up of a number of component parts. Some of these components can be of more interest to the user than others. For example, one or more items of information returned as part of a request for a web page may comprise advertising, while one or more other items of information may contain desired information. In addition, some components may comprise a greater amount of data than other components, and therefore may require longer download times and/or a greater share of communication link resources than others. As a result, a user may have to wait a relatively long period of time before being presented with desired content. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system that could distinguish between different items of information, and/or allow for different items of information to be retrieved using different communication links, including using different communication links connected to the same target address or source of content simultaneously.